Culinary device



Ogt. 26, 1937. J. w. STEIN CULINARY DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1955 INVENTOR.joarzmz WJiaz'rz ATTORNEY} Patented Oct. 26, 1937 PATENT OFFICE CULINARYDEVICE Johanna W.

Stein, Cleveland, Ohio Application November 12, 1935, Serial No. 49,339

' 3 Claims.

This invention relates to covering tops or parts of tops of tables orsimilar devices for culinary purposes such as mixing or kneading orrolling of dough.

5 The objects of this invention are: to provide a means, including acanvas-like pad, whereby a table top, or a part thereof can be coveredfor culinary purposes; which means is sanitary and can be cleaned easilyand prevents impurities of 10 or on a table top from being mixed withmaterial on the pad; the parts of which means can easily be assembledrelative to a table top and can easily be disassembled and closelypacked and rolled into a bundle for storing thereof; whereby the pad isheld against shifting on the table top and the holding effect of the padis increased when a pad moving pressure is brought onto the pad. Otherobjects will be pointed out during the description of the deviceillustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms part of tlL'sspecification and other objects will become obvious or apparent or willsuggest themselves upon an inspection of the drawing and thisspecification.

In the accompanying drawing, selected for illustrating the presentinvention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the present invention andshows a pad on a table top, but not covering the same competely; theholding means for one edge of the pad to one edge of the table; and theother edge being free of either a binder or a securing means.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a device similar to Fig. 1, also embodying thepresent invention and shows the pad gripping and table edge engagingmembers on the front of the table as being of two parts and also shows abinder across the rear end of the pad, a bracket on the rear end of thetable, and a resilient member between the binder and the bracket.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of either Fig. 1 orFig. 2 to show structure and. formation of the elements more clearly.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2 to moreclearly show the formation and. H the relation of parts at the rear endof the table.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 to moreclearly show the relations of all of the parts of the present device.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theviews.

The device shown, being one of the possible embodiments of the presentinvention, will now be described as to structure and function andoperation thereof.

The table top if! is shown as made of wood although itmay be made ofother material since there is no necessity for any clamping or holdingmeans to beinserted thereinto for the present invention.

The pad II lies on top of the table top when in use and is made offlexible material, perferably easily flexible material. The fabricgenerally known as canvas is quite satisfactory for such purposealthough any other cloth-like material can be used. The mesh of thematerial, however, should not be too coarse so that flour and the likewill not easily fall therethrough and dough will not be pressedthereinto. Metal cloth, when used, should be of very fine mesh for abovereasons.

Referring now specifically to Fig. 1: The element [2 is formed to engagethe edge I3 of the table top and also to engage the front edge M of thepad II. The element I2 is made of material somewhat harder and lessflexible than the material of the pad ll; bakelite or other materials ofa similar nature may be used for this element. In most cases, however, ametal is preferable for this element since it is quite strong and easilybent and formed as required and has sufficient resiliency therein forpad gripping and releasing. Caution must, however, be used in theselection of this material to prevent pollution of material worked upon.

Iron and steel present suflicient resiliency required in the padengaging elements but are subject to rust since salt and similaritiesusually are present in the material worked upon and may effectdeterioration ofthe material of the elements.

Brass and similarities present suficient resiliency required in the padengaging elements but, due to the copper content therein, are subject todeterioration and verdigris due to fatstuifs in the material acted upon.

Stainless steel present sufficient resiliency required in the padholding elements and is free of deterioration by rust and is preferredon that account although it is more expensive than iron, steel andbrass.

Galvanizing, plating, japanning, and similarities may be resorted to forthe pad holding elements but, since such procedures only cover andinclose the material or form a coating for the outside thereof, salt,fatstufis, and such may get in between this coating and the materialcoated and start deterioration and corrosion even without being noticedat the time.

The element l2 (Fig. 3) is formed of one sheet of material and has theflange l5 to engage with the underside of the edge I3, the part I6 toabut the outside of the edge I3, the part I1 to engage with the top sideof the edge I3 and the part [8 superimposing the part H with the spacel9 be-' can press the pad material down intothe spaces between the teethof the opposite part. This structure prevents the teeth from digginginto and tearing the pad material.

In this illustration, the rear-end 22 of the pad II is unsupportedalthough a holding means may be provided there. Such structures as thewell known vacuum cups serve well as a holding means for the rear end ofthe pad if such a holding means is desired.

Referring now specifically to Fig. 2: In this illustration, thecontinuous element I2 of Fig. 1 is divided into twoparts I2I and I22each crosssectionally similar to the element I2 as previously described.The continuous element I2 of Fig. 1 keeps the pad from wrinklingtransversely while the elements I2I and I22 permit such wrinkling whenthe material of the pad is very flimsy and wrinkles easily and no binderis provided on the rear end of the pad. However, the working pressure onthe pad is usually downward and there is little tendency for the pad towrinkle between the elements I2I and I22.

The binder 23 (Fig. 4), shown as being continuous in Fig. 2, is made ofmaterial such as is described above for the element I2 and engages withthe rear edge of the pad and supports the same across the rear endthereof and thereby prevents wrinkling of the pad and counteractswhatever tendency there might be to wrinkling due to the lateral spacingof the elements I2I and I 22.

The binder 23, also formed of one sheet of material, has the part 24bent as shown with the part 25 at one end thereof doubled up but not incontact with the part 24 and also has the part 26 similarly bent. Theparts 25 and 26 also have teeth formed thereon similar to the teethbefore described for the element I2 and attaining the same function ofengaging and gripping the edge of the pad.

The bracket 21, of material as previously described, has the part 28 toengage with the underside of the rear edge 29 of the table top, the part30 to abut the rear end of the edge of the table, and the part 3I torest on the table top and being bent upwardly to form the ear 32 whichhas a hole therethrough to receive one end of the spring 33 which hasthe other end 34 thereof hooked into a hole in the binder 23. Any otherelastic element, such as a rubber band, may be used in place of thespring. When the binder 23 is not made continuous, similar to thecontinuous element I2 being divided into the parts I2I and I22, it isbest to use one bracket 21 and one spring 33 for each part of the binderto prevent the pad from being wrinkled especially when the element I2 isnot continuous.

The pad II is to be laid onto a table top and held thereon to 'form abase for mixing and rolling and kneading dough and other similaroperations. The front edge I4 of the pad is: inserted into the space -I9either before or after the element I2 is pushed over the edge of thetable top, and is then folded over the outside of theelement I2, theparts I 'I and 2| engage the edge of the pad and hold the same therein.When a pressure is brought onto the pad to move the ;same, the teethengage the edge of the pad more firmly and hold the pad more firmlyagainst movement thereof.

This pad moving pressure, away from the element I2 exerts a downwardpressure on the part I 8 and causes a more firm grip on the edge of thepad. The same effect is produced on the elements I2I and I22.

The element 23, when continuous, prevents wrinkling of the pad even whenthe spaced elements I2I and I22 are used and the spring 33 keeps atension on the pad and thereby keeps the edge thereof in engagement inthe element I2 and I2I and I22 as the case may be and keeps theseelements against the edge of the table top. When the spring 33 isnotused, the parts I and 28 may first be formed as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 3 so that the same can be forcefully pushed over the edgeof the table top, instead of being loosely pushed thereover, and theresiliency of the material of the elements will cause the parts I5 and28 to be held in place.

When the pad is to be removed from the holding elements, a pad movingpressure, either longitudinally or sidewise of the pad, will release thepad from the holding elements so that the same can easily be removed.

When the pad is to be stored, the elements may be laid side by side andthe pad wrapped around them to form one package. The whole package canalso be covered or wrapped up in paper or cloth for storing.

The device shown and described embodies the present invention, is simpleand inexpensive in structure, is easy of operation thereon and easy ofassembling and disassembling and is sanitary.

Changes in structure and arrangement of elements from that herein shownand described can be made within the scope of the present invention andthe appended claims. Therefore, having shown and described the presentinvention and without limiting the present invention to the precisestructure and arrangement of parts as shown and described,

I claim:

1. A pad for a table top including an element to engage an edge of thetable top when pushed thereover and having a part for engaging an edgeof said pad when the latter is inserted thereinto; said part havingteeth thereon for engaging said edge of the pad more firmly when a padmoving pressure is brought upon said pad in one direction and releasingsaid pad from said element when a pad moving pressure is brought uponsaid pad in another direction.

2. A pad for a table top, including an element to frictionally engageone edge of the table top and having jaws to grip one edge of said pad,

a binder gripping both sides of the opposite edge of said pad, a bracketengaging the opposite edge of said table top, and an elastic elementbetween said binder and said bracket for keeping said pad fiat relativeto said table top.

3. An easily flexible pad for a table top, a locating and holding meansfor retaining said pad on the table top including, a flexible pad and anengaging element for one edge of the table top and one edge of said pad,a binder on the opposite edge of said pad, a bracket on the oppositeedge of the table top, and a resilient element between said binder andsaid bracket; said pad and elements thereon being easily rolled up intoa bundle and easily transported and easily stored and covered by saidpad when so rolled up.

JOHANNA W. STEIN.

